Focusing device.



A. WOLLENSAK.

FOCUSING DEVICE` APPLICATION Vman nEc.12,1914.

1,170,206- Patented Feb. 1, 1916.'

MyW

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW WOLLENSAK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T WOLLENSAK OPTICAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

'FOCUSLNG DEVICE.

191709206. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb 1, 1916 Application 'filed December 12, 1914. Serial No. 876,886.

To alt whom t 'may concern: side-elevation, and a vertical section on the Be it known that l, ANDREW lVoLLEnsAK, line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing portions of a a citizen of the United States, and resident camera embodying the present invention, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and while a modified form is shown in Figs. 4E to 5 State of New York, have invented certain 9, inclusive, Figs e and 5 being vertical 60 new and useful Improvements in Focusing median sections, Fig. 6, a. vertical section on Devices, of which the following is a speciiithe line (5-6 in Fig. 5, and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 cation. being side-elevations of the adjustingsleeve;

This invention relates to means for focusthe housing, and the actuating-sleeve, reu

ing av photographic camera, particularly a spectively. 65 camera of the folding type. The invention is illustrated as embodied in @ne object of the invention is to produce a camera of a well-known folding type, With an arrangement by which an axial movethe usual extensible front 10 and bellows 11,

nient. for the purpose of focusing, may be and folding arms or supporting-devices 12 15 imparted to the lens or lenses of a camera, for connecting the camera-front with the 'I0 without movement of the camera-front for body of the camera (not shown). The camthis purpose, these means being compact, era is provided with a well known form of conveniently and accurately operable, and shutter, inclosed within the usual casing 13 preferably provided with devices for indiof circular form, the lens or lenses being eating the focal position of the lens. To carried in the usual lens-mounts 14 ixed to 75 this end l employ an arrangement of tubular the front and the back. of the shutter-casing. housing and sleeves, having pin-and-slot as shown in Fig. 3. connections of such a character that the ro- The focusing-mechanism, in the emboditation of one of said members causes an ment shown in Figs. i, 2 and 3, comprises a axial. movement of the lens-carrier in the plate 15 which maybe designated as a lens- 80 manner hereinafter set forth, and in which carrier. This plate has a central opening in the, focal Doston Off the lens as s@ adjagted which a nipple, projecting from the rear of may be indicated by means of a suitable the shutter-casing` is seated, the casing being pointer and scale or equivalent ar 1angementl secured in place by means of a screw-thread- Another object of the invention ig to proed ring or nut 26 bearing against the lens- 85 duce a tocusing-device which shall be applicarrier. The lens-carrier moves axially cable to a camera, of the foldingtvpe, in within a generally cylindrical tubular houswhich the camera-front is held` when the ing 16, and this housing serves as means for camera is unfolded` at an invariable distance connecting the camera-front l10 with the belfrom the focal plane of the camera, the lows 1l, being provided with an outwardly- 90 focusing-device being so constructed, howextending iange 17 at its front end, which ever, as not to increase the 'tore-and-aft may be screwed to the camera-front, and dimensions of the extensible portions of the within an inwardlyextending flange at camera when folded. To this end l so eonits rear end. A. plate 28 is screwed to the struct the focusing-device that not only the flange 45, and this plate is, in turn, secured 95 lens-mount, but also the shutter-casing with to the forward end of the bellows in any which it is associated in the usual manner, convenient manner. are axially movable during the focusing o-p- Loosely surrounding the housing 16, is a eration, while the mechanism for producing sleeve 1S, provided with an outwardly-prothis movement is of an annular form, and is ',iecting flange 19 at its rear end, this flange 100 so arranged that when the lens-mount and being knurled on the edge for convenient the shutter-casing are in fully retracted pomanipulation. The flange 17 and the plate sition the focusing-mechanism does not ex- 28 limit this sleeve to rotary'inovements on tend either in the front or in the rear of the the housing. In order that the focusing lens-mount and shutter-casing, so that no vmovement of the lens may be produced bv addition is made to the necessary length of rotation of the sleeve 18, the lens-carrier 15 the extensible parts of the camera when in is provided with several equally spaced lugs the folded pogtifm, 20, of which one is shown in Fig. 3. and each ln the accompanying drawings z-Figures of these lugs carries screw-stud 21, which 1, Z and 3 are, respectively. a. plan-view, a extends into one of several slots 22 in the 110 sleeve 18. These slots are arranged helically upon the sleeve, while the studs 2l are guided, so as to have only direct fore-and-aft movements, by means of slots 23 in the housing 16, these slots being` shown in dotted lines.

rThe foregoing arrangement is such that when the sleeve 18 is partially rotated upon the housing, the inclined slots 22 cause the studs 2l to move forwardly or rearwardly in the slots 23, thus producing axial move` ments of the lens-mounts and the shuttercasing. In order that the extent of such movements may be indicated, the adjustingsleeve 18 is provided with an index-plate 24, which is graduated in accordance with the distance, for which the camera is to be focused, and the significant graduation is indicated by a pointer 25 fixed to the flange 17 on the housing.

When the adjusting-sleeve is turned to the extreme position corresponding to the shortest focalA distance, the shutter-casing is retracted to a position in which' the rear lens-mount 14 is substantially flush with the rearmost part of the focusing-mechanism, namely, the edge of the iange 45, and the shutter-casing is withdrawn into the Space within the housing. In this position of the parts the camera-front 10 does lnot project in front of the for ard lens-mount, and accordingly the total length ot' the mechanism is no greater than that of the lens-mounts and shutter-casing, and as these parts are assembled in the usual manner and have the usual dimensions, there is thus no addition to the over-all dimensions of the extensible parts of the camera when they are in folded position, so that the focusing-device may be applied to a folding camera of ordinary form, without any increase in the size of its casing, or other radical change in its form and construction.

Where it is desirable to provide a considerable `range of focal movement without increase in the extent ot' rotation of' the adjusting-sleeve, the arrangement shown in Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive, may be employed. 1n this case the camera-front is connected with the bellows by a housing 31, similar in general form to the housing 16, and pro vided with a forward ilange which is screwed to 'the camera-front. and a rear Hangs 33 upon which the plate 28 is xed, as in the construction First described. The lens-carrier 30 is substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 3, and is secured to the shutter-casing in the same manner. 1t is also provided with a series of lugs 40 carrying outwardly-projectingscrew-studs 41, as shown in F ig. G. lin this case, however, a third annular member is employed, in the form of a sleeve 36 which has helical slots 42 which are engaged by the studs 41 on the lens-carrier. rlhese studs also extend into slots 43 in the housing to limit the lenscarrier to axial movements.

The actuating-sleeve 36 is provided with a series ot' screw-studs 38, which extend through helical slots 39 in the housing, and into slots 3T in the adjusting-sleeve 34, these slots 3T being arranged at right-angles to the slots 39 in the housing. In the construction just described, when the adjusting-sleeve 34 is partially rotated, by means of the knurled i'iange 35, this movement, through the engagement of the slots 37 with the studs 38, causes the latter to move along the slots 39 in the housing, whereby the actuating-sleeve 36 is given, simultaneousl a partial rotation and an axial movement. This axial movement is imparted to the lens-carrier bythe engagement of the slots 42 with the studs 4l on the lens-carrier, and at the same time the rotative movement ot' the sleeve 36, owing to the helical character ot' lthe slots 42, imparts additional axial movement to the lens-carrier, the axial movements ot' the latter being accordingly twice as great as the axial movements ot' the actuating-sleeve 36. By this arrangement a considerable movement may be imparted to the lens-carrier by a slight partial rotation ot the adjusting-sleeve 34.

claim 1. In a camera, the combination, with the camera-front, ot' a tubular housing secured thereto; a shutter-casing; a lens mounted on the shutter-casing; the shutter-casing being supported, and axially movable, within the housing; and means for so moving the shutter-casing to focus the camera.

2. In a camera, thecombination, with the camera-front, of a tubular housing secured thereto; a shutter-casing; ay lens mounted on the shutter-casing; the shutter-casing being supported, and axially movable, within the housing; and means for so moving the shutter-casing to focus the camera, said means including a manually-operable annular member rotatable upon the outerl sui"- face of the housing.

3. 1n a camera, the combination with the camera-front and the bellows, of interposed between them; a lens-carrier axially movable in the housing; and means or so moving the lens-carrier to focus the camerawithout movement of the front.

In. a camera, the combination, with the camera-front and the bellows, of a housing interposed between them; a lens-carrier axially movable in the housing; and means for so moving the lens-carrier to focus thek a housing iai/dees for so moving the lens-carrier to focus the camera without movement of the front, said means comprising a sleeve surrounding the housing and rotatable thereon, and a flange at the rear end of the sleeve.

6. In a camera, the combination, with the camera-front and the bellows, of a tubular housing interposed between them, a shuttercasing supported, and axially movable, within the housing; a lens mounted on the shutter-casing; and means for moving the shutter-casing and the lens, within the housing, to focus the camera.

7. In a camera, the combination, with the camera-front and the bellows, of a tubular housing interposed between them, a shuttercasing supported, and axially-movable, within the housing; a lens mounted on the shutter-casing; and means for moving the shutter-casing and the lens within the liousn ing to focus the camera, said means coin prising a manually-operable sleeve mounted, and rotatable upon, the housing, and conneet-ions between the sleeve and the shuttercasing. I

8. In a camera, a tubular housing; a sleeve surrounding and rotatable on the housing, the housing and the sleeve having slots disposed at an angle with each other; a lenscarrier axially movable within the housing; and connections, between the lenscarrier and the sleeve, including studs eX- tending into the slots in both the housing and the sleeve, whereby the lens-carrier may be moved axially by rotation of the sleeve.

9. In a camera, a tubular housing; a sleeve surrounding and rotatable on the housing, the housing and the sleeve having slots disposed at an angle with each other; a lens-carrier axially movable within the housing; connections, between the lens-carrier and the sleeve, including studs extending into the slots in both the housing and the sleeve, whereby the lens-carrier may be moved axially by rotation of the sleeve; and cooperating indicating members connected, respectively, with the housing` and the sleeve, for indicating the focal position of the lens-carrier within the housing.

l0. In a camera, a tubular housing provided with slots; an outer sleeve rotatable on the housing and provided with slots arranged at an angle with the slots in the housing; an inner sleeve rotatable and axially movable within the housing and also having slots arranged at an angle with the slots in the housing; a lenscarrier axially movable within the inner sleeve; studs projecting, from the lens-carrier., into engagement with slots in both the inner sleeve and the housing; and-studs projecting, from the inner sleeve, into engagement with slots in bot-h the housing and the outer sleeve.

l1. In a camera, a tubular housing provided with slots substantially parallel with its axis; a sleeve rotatably associated with the housing and manually-operable, said sleeve having slots inclined to its aXis; a lens-carrier movable axially within the housing and the sleeve; and studs projecting, from the lens-carrier, into engagement with the slots in both the housing and the sleeve.

12. In a camera, the combination of relatively rotatable annular members constituting a focusing device, and a shutter pio vided with a circular casing, the shutter being connected with and mounted in the focusing device and movable, by the operation thereof, into and out of the space circumscribed by said annular members.

In testimony whereof, I affix my 'signa ture in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses FARNUM F. Donsn, D.` GURNEE., 

